The state’s largest healthcare system, Ochsner Health said the vaccination rate among employees has increased to 81% since their announcement of mandatory vaccinations and the FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine. Ochsner Health CEO Warner Thomas said the deadline to comply is October 29th.
“They’ll be suspended for 30 days and during that period of time, they’ll get an opportunity to be able to get vaccinated, if not if they haven’t met a religious or medical exemption then they would be asked to leave Ochsner,” said Thomas
While some feel vaccination mandates could result in an even greater staffing shortage at medical facilities Thomas said the mandate is necessary to protect patients and employees.
“We don’t want to lose anybody, but I don’t really feel that it will have a material impact on our ability to care for our patients,” said Thomas.
Ochsner informed employees of the vaccine requirement weeks before the Biden Administration’s mandate that all employees at healthcare facilities be vaccinated or risk losing Medicaid and Medicare funding. Thomas feels strongly about the requirement.
“I don’t think this is something that healthcare organizations are going to be able to avoid. I think it’s something that’s going to be done, it’s going to have to be done and frankly, it should be done to keep folks safe,” said Thomas.
Comments